Cartoons on the Bay 2003

Cartoons on the Bay 2003
International Festival and Conference on Television Animation
7th edition Positano (Italy) April 9-13 2003

TV Specials for All Seasons||The New Initiative for Minor Rights ||Notes on showcase> ||Studios of the Year: The Animation Band and Green Light Media AG ||An Animation Lesson: Animation between Art and Industry/ Jules Engel ||Pitch me Italia/ Italian Competition ||Special Guests: Making Cartoons, Meeting with Lastrego and Testa

Animation For an Adult Audience
Panel: Heather Kenyon (AWN, USA), Bruno Bozzetto (Autore, Italy), Simona Fabbri (Cartoon Network, Italy), David Fine (Autore, USA), Rick Mischel (Mainframe Entertainement, USA), and Helen Nabarro (BBC, UK).


The Cartoon Family, a music group that sings for cartoons performing in the Festival, singing the song for Spaghetti Family

Bruno Bozzetto (Western Soda, and Spaghetti Family):
UPA animation and Zagreb films are usually films that are addressed to Adults. Yet this concept goes against the idea of animation, which is mainly for children. That equation established by Disney cartoons like Snow White and Bamby. This notion is changing like the example of the Disney movie, Prince of Egypt, which is a production of all audiences.

The only distinction that should be made with respect to the audience is the infant category, because of it simple and clear nature. Children in general adapt to new images, and have a very good capacity to grasp new concepts and stories. There is a general evolution in their taste. Children in the 70 watched Tom and Jerry; now they are keener to watch “Cow and Chicken” for instance.

Rick Mischel
Animation audience is defined by the time it airs on television. Whether it is prime time, then it is for a more general audience, or if it is after the news then it is more for an adult audience. I.e. Waltermillerhomepage.com
Show runners, like Ed Capelin are the ones that control pitching at prime time.

Simona Fabbri (Cartoon Network)
CN cartoons are adapted for adults audiences.
1. super level: basic/esthetic/visual/ simple graphics
2. second level: irony/metaphor/ <generally appreciated by adults.
CN refers to that type of cartoons as “general audience” like Chicken and Cow and Courage the Cowardly Dog. They are not intended for adults, but that group still appreciates watching those cartoons. They were not designed for adults: no fowl language..

Time clots in specialty channels. During prime time, generally those channels target a general audience defined by children and family, young adults and adults, showing cartoons like Droopy, Josie and the Pussycats. Those remind adults of their past as children, and they appeal to children today, resulting in some sort of a consistency in the appeal of cartoon gag.

Adult Swim:
It is a CN strategy intended to capture an adult audience. It is aired from 10:30 to 2am, Sunday though Thursday. (like Futurama).
It focuses on two main characteristics of animation:
-The comedy/parody with the subtle humor that can be compared to sitcoms.
-Action, and sophisticated animation.

Helen Nabarro (BBC) bbc.co.uk/cult
Budgeting for adult cartoons is very difficult, especially from their nature being for adult content (i.e. bikini wearing reindeer).

David Fine (Bob and Margaret)
Bob and Margaret is an award winning animation. Story is about a couple and their mischief and joys of their conjugal life. The work was mostly focused on shaping the characters, and giving them personality, and the narrative. The dialogue has been thoroughly worked out, on the expanse of the concept that is fairly simple. (Replicating the Simpson?)

So writing for cartoons is the most important and expensive thing: like the model for South Park. Their model is based on cheap production but they are very popular, and their marketing has been very successful. Again, they involve a broader humor such as the audience of King of the Hill.

Contents of Adult Films: (general discussion)
-Humor based on dialogue
-Experimentation in the visuals
-Aggressive humor (not based on the gag as much as the general audience cartoons)
-Culture (humor is not necessarily understood by all cultures) style
In the USA, humor is verbalized, and irony is driven by dialogue. The “look” of the cartoon is often irrelevant of the success of the show, like the example of South Park.

The visual Investigation is less important, hence the use of software like Macromedia Flash, or Director. The Experience goes in the writing and the production. (?)
In Japan, adult cartoons are more story driven. The story is the most important element of the animation; focus on social, political and ideological issues. The audience is largely represented by males between 18 and 40. // Drama in animation: Metropolis, Ghost in the Shell, Spirited Away..

//lena merhej, 2003